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Pot-of-gold lily

Plant Botanical Name:

Lilium iridollae

Plant Threat Level:

Endangered

Lillium iridollae, also known as the pot-of-gold lily, grows along streams in wet pine woodlands and in pitcher-plant bogs in the southeastern United States. The habitat of this endangered plant is dependent on periodic, naturally occurring fires caused by lightning strikes. These fires reduce competition from other plants and release nutrients and organic matter from burned peat moss and leaves into the acidic, nutrient-poor soil. Sensitivity to changes in drainage patterns and water quality make Lilium iridollae particularly vulnerable to disturbances in its ecosystem, such as overgrazing by livestock and urban development in nearby areas.